KANDYBA.

Candybra or the modern village of Cataloluk rather than Gendeve as in George Bean’s Lycian Turkey is now approached by a metalled road and not the “good path” of some fifty years ago.

As George Bean noted the site has been much denuded of monuments but a diligent search does reveal signs of the former Lycian inhabitants. There are a few tombs, a couple of rock tombs and on the acropolis the remains of the city wall. However it is evident that over the centuries earthquakes have caused havoc to the site and there are large rock falls in a number of places.

On the Acropolis there are no standing structures but evidence that the rock beds were carved to support buildings, these having long gone. The walls stand well, except on the north side where there has been a recent collapse, the morter used being exposed. Elsewhere other rock falls and destroyed rock tombs have tumbled down the slopes of the Acropolis.

The city wall is built with well presented ashlar blocks and in some places stands around five meters high.

One of the entrances to the city. A flight of steps leads to this gate.

The result of earthquake activity is illustrated by this massive rock fall.

The flat interior of the city shows little evidence of internal construction except where the rock has been dug out to provide the floor of a building with nothing remaining of any walls. I presume that they were probably constructed of mud and over the years have vanished from the archaeological record.

There is evidence of the use of water cisterns within the city.

Looking from the gate to the steps.

The entrance to the city.

Outside the city walls are some early tombs, highly decorated but also showing evidence of re-use in the later Roman period.

Only the base of this tomb remains.

Examples of Lycian type rock face tombs are scarce but those that are visible show that they existed, even if a trifle the worse for wear!

An example of the Lycian rock face type of tomb.